Fawcett Memorial Hospital Has Been Designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement

Port Charlotte, Florida - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. (BCBSF) has designated Fawcett Memorial Hospital as Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement.   Blue Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery and Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement are part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s expansion of its Blue Distinction® designation.

“This recognition from Blue Cross and Blue Shield is another acknowledgement of the wonderful team of physicians, nurses and other professionals including Dietary and Environmental Services staff who go to great lengths to give patients a great experience”, said Tom Rice, CEO of Fawcett Memorial Hospital. “What we learned from this review process will only make our program better for our patients in the future.” 

Fawcett Memorial Hospital offers comprehensive spine surgery and knee and hip replacement services, including:

  • Minimally Invasive Surgery
  • Kyphoplasty
  • Decompressions
  • Discectomies
  • Laminectomies
  • Fusions
  • Pain Management
  • Joint Replacement
  • Hip Resurfacing
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Minimally Invasive Joint Reconstruction Surgery for
  • Total Shoulders, Reverse Total Shoulders, Total Knee, Quad Sparing Technique, Partial Knee
  • Arthroscopic Surgery – Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist, Hip, Knee, & Ankle
  • Trigger Finger Release
  • Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
  • Arthroscopic Joint Preservation Surgery
  • Arthroscopic Hip Impingement Surgery & Labral Repair

“Blue Distinction puts a high value on research and evidence-based health and medical information,” said Allan Korn, M.D. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Chief Medical Officer. “Blue Distinction Centers show our commitment to working with doctors and hospitals in communities across the country to identify leading institutions that meet clinically validated quality standards and deliver better overall outcomes in patient care.”

The selection criteria used to evaluate facilities were developed with input from a panel of expert physicians.  To be designated as Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement, the following types of criteria were evaluated.  More information on selection criteria is available on www.bcbs.com:

  • Established acute care inpatient facility, including intensive care, emergency care, and a full range of patient support services with full accreditation by a CMS-deemed national accreditation organization
  • Experience and training of program surgeons, including case volume
  • Quality management programs, including surgical checklists as well as tracking and evaluation of clinical outcomes and process of care
  • Multi-disciplinary clinical pathways and teams to coordinate and streamline care, including transitions of care
  • Shared decision making and preoperative patient education

The Blue Distinction designation is awarded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacement, spine surgery and transplants. The program is part of The Blues® efforts to collaborate with physicians and medical facilities to improve the overall quality and safety of specialty care.

The additional Blue Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery and Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement designations will bring the nation’s number of Blue Distinction designations to more than 1,600—and this number is expected to increase in the coming years.